Video Transcript: Writing For Attention (Karen Friedman)

Video Transcript: Writing For Attention (Karen Friedman)

Hi, I'm Karen Friedman, I know that you probably know how to write. But writing a thesis or writing a paper is not the same thing as writing to generate interest and attention. To fully understand what I mean, take a look at a newspaper, what happens, your eye automatically goes to the headline, like this one, it says, US Airways is on time winner. You look at it, and you say, Well, how can that be? I just flew them twice, and they were late both times. So then you decide to read on. That's the kind of mentality you want to have when you're writing to generate attention. 

So rule number one, 

try to think like an advertiser. 

What do advertisers do? 

They use words like free, limited time only, final notice they're generating interest. Now, buzz words, and promises are not enough. 

What you have to do is stress the benefits, saying for example, our product is better than everybody else's. 

Well, that's not a benefit. 

But explaining to someone how that product will save time, money, perhaps improve a relationship. 

Now somebody's interested, because you're talking about what it might do for them. 

Let's take a look at another rule that being right for one person, like speaking, writing for one person will make your communications more personal. 

And finally, you want to go for the gut. 

People tend to feel before they think. So if you want to push your reader to action, to buy something, to get attention to attend an event. Then you want to try to make them really feel so you can motivate and you can inspire them to actually get the results that you want. 

Until next time. I'm Karen Friedman.